turbinedude wrote:Shadow Cliffs Recreational Area:4/1/3*Snack Bar AlertSuper difficult launch especially if you a sporting a 12 due to asphalt launch pad with large oak tree obstacles and wind shadows. Launch difficulty reduced to 3 if you have a friend to place you kite out on the water for a water relaunch. Once out on the water smooth sailing ahead with nothing but glass. There exists aluminum boat docks suitable for grinding purposes. Friendly people and even a snack bar. Must not enter designated swim zone, dump a kite in adjacent mining plant, or have any motorized vehicles of any type on the lake

University Marina:4(1)/2(-)/3(1)*Dog AlertVery Dangerous water approach. Requires climbing down rocks to access water with kite in the air. If wind prevails you may take a 1 km journey to Golden Gate Fields "Racetrack" to land kite or water land kite prior to climbing back up rocks. West facing waters showcase concrete wall riding surfaces. For all levels of kiters it is extremely easy to launch your kites due to launch well kept grassy fields. This makes this ideal for teaching people how to fly kites. There are trails traversing a multitude of directions enabling beginners to take static flying to a dynamic level by hopping onto an all terrain mountainboard. Watch out for dog dungs, neighboring paraglider beginners, RC pilot airspace, and endangered CA Tiger salamanders.

Castles:5/1/5*Inverse Moat AlertRequires launching your kite from another location and sailing to the rock perimeter surrounding the smoothest patch of isolated water in East Bay post-shadowed by castle ruins. To access water one must possess aerial clearance abilities to pass 3 feet of vertical height and 7 feet horizontal distance.

friggin old guy wrote:Plus.....all you have to do is look at the knuckleheads that push past the skull and crossbones to get onto chair 10 at kirkwood and then quiver in fear at the top to know that such a rating system would not keep somebody from getting in over their head.

Oh, got to love The Wall! I remember seeing all the signs up at this lift warning the Heavenly folks that just had their passes upgraded to include Kirkwood and Northstar, that this terrain was far more difficult than anything at Heavenly and I'd still see hordes of knuckleheads flopping around in fear up top.

Sold all my gear; ebbs and flows; see you next season.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." — Albert Einstein

The coast (especially OB) and Crissy are probably too dynamic to rate. You can get easy straightforward days at both then some crazy "is this really the same spot?" scenarios. On the east coast variable / sketchy / off-piste / glades etc. trails are usually arbitrarily just marked in spite of grade as double black - sort of how I feel about OB & Crissy (not-rated, Use Caution!)

The more consistent spots you might be able to evaluate according to a combination of launch & land / on-water red flags / self-rescue & downwind situation ratings though. If the spot is consistent enough the ski analogy could work - With that I'd probably say Alameda Green / 3rd Blue / Sherman Black.

Once somebody can consistently ride Sherman I think they can ride most spots around here except when they step onto one of our double blacks.. Then they better be ready for whatever comes around the next bend whether it's a mogul, a fin, a rock, a tanker, a tree, a 9'@9s closeout, or a wind shadow that wasn't there 10 minutes ago

Thanks all for some great input. I agree with almost everything said.It seems most of us agree that other than ocean sites and Crissy, our launches are the sketchiest part of the overall rating. And even with a Class 1 or Green launch, onshore is where 90% of stuff happens that puts us, our gear and our access in jeopardy.Sometimes there seems to be a schism in kiter’s approach to preserving access, with vigilant locals ruffling feathers trying hard to keep people in line, yet having an “everything’s fine” attitude when it comes to improvements. Many of the biggest problems I observe or read about here are because of lousy launches. Maybe we should put as much energy there as in enforcing launch guidelines.

Rob wrote:Loscocco's suggestions and opinions mean nothing being that he's never been to Waddell. Raise your hand if his gear should be donated to goodwill? & pick up knitting Jk we love you +1

Just broke my foot this weekend so yeah i have taken up knitting and all kiting gear is being donated to goodwill. Never have kited Waddell.. i know its strange since i have kited in dozens of other spots around the world... Maybe when my foot heals. Thanks for the love!

Rob wrote:Loscocco's suggestions and opinions mean nothing being that he's never been to Waddell. Raise your hand if his gear should be donated to goodwill? & pick up knitting Jk we love you +1

Just broke my foot this weekend so yeah i have taken up knitting and all kiting gear is being donated to goodwill. Never have kited Waddell.. i know its strange since i have kited in dozens of other spots around the world... Maybe when my foot heals. Thanks for the love!